Good set of tools for the boy?

[ddbackhoe]

18 year old kid doesn't need knipex, I own them, and I'm still not in love with them.

I’m sorry, I missed the part about you having the only valid opinion. I must need to go back and reread the forum rules.

 

[LittleBill21]

you think a new kid needs a 45 dollar each plier? also prolly needs the 30k snapon on box as well. you gave your opinion, I gave mine. your the only one upset.

 

[MossRoad]

I still have and use the 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" Craftsman socket set I bought back in the 70s as a teenager. Screwdriver set, wrenches, too. For average person doing average work, they work fine. I've only broken a couple sockets and one ratchet in all that time, at that was due to abuse. They were replaced free of charge.

About 10 years ago, I had to provide my own tools for my job when I switched over to maintenance.

So, I went and bought more Craftsman socket, wrenches and screwdrivers.

But for other things, like pliers and such, I cheaped out and bought Harbor Freight. I regret that. They are not nearly as strong, and, for example, on the slip joint pliers, I could squeeze them on a bolt and the joint would pop and they'd break. Just not good quality stuff.

I bought a rolling tool box of medium quality from Menards and some layers foam and shadowed it out for organization.



That made life easier when moving from job to job in the plant.

However, the OP is asking about portable tool sets.

I'm pretty sure this is the set I started with 10 years ago. The case is nice and sturdy and portable. I just didn't need the case for work.

https://www.sears.com/craftsman-230-piece-mechanic-s-tool-set/p-00999920000P?sid=ISxMP3xSOxGGxDTxSURF

Then I added some ratcheting wrenches and screwdrivers and such.

But as I mentioned, don't cheap out on the pliers, diagonal cutter, etc.

 

[2manyrocks]

Whatever tool set you buy, there's always that car that needs that special tool you don't have.

 

[MossRoad]

Whatever tool set you buy, there's always that car that needs that special tool you don't have.

Absolutely!!!

 

[Sigarms]

Thing that scares me about craftsman is it seems to a brand that an investment company buys now, then subs out the work where-ever. Don't know that for a fact, but I don't think they have the same loyal following like my FIL in the 70's.

Anyone hear of Genius tools? Came across them and they looked interesting added with their selection. Seems to be around since the 70's, made in Taiwan but at this point, haven't come across any complaints. They seem to have a pretty big selection...

Genius Tools USA | Since 1975

www.geniustoolsusa.com

I guess tools are a worse topic as to what you need compared to anything else, because you still may never have exactly what you need when you need it.

 

[BigGG]

Husky, Kobalt, Craftsman, Quinn (HF) are all mid-range quality in your price range. I'd stay away from the plastic cases; add one tool and there's not a place for it. I do have an old set of Sears tools in a plastic case I keep in my truck that's been convenient and useful. The plastic drawers are just as useless, they sag from the heat and load.

 

[crashlandy]

I started out with Craftsman tools. I remember day dreaming about buying those big kits they had in there catalog back in the 80's. I really enjoyed those catalogs!!!

Today I'm pretty much just buying the Kobalt brand tools from Lowes. I've never had one break on me, and they all work flawlessly. I retired my Channel Lock set of plyers because the long nose broke on my and the pliers always bind up on me. The Kobalt are smooth and flawless.

For big wrenches, which you probably don't need to get him until he buys his own tractor, I've found that they all work the same once you get over one inch. Tractor Supply has a good selection to choose from, and I have all of them up to 2 inches.

I have a few Proto sockets for brush hog blades. They are too expensive, but they where the only brand I could find when I needed that size.

I won't buy anything Craftsman anymore. They have gone full Chinese junk and what I did buy when they started selling them at Lowes, all failed quickly.

I also don't like anything Harbor Freight. I tried them awhile ago, and it was too expensive to spend the time to buy their stuff, to have it fail, and then to have to spend the time to go buy a better quality tool in order to fix what I need to fix.

If Home Depot is closer, I think their brand of hand tools is just as good as the Kobalt at Lowes. I have a few of their sockets and they have held up without any issues.

The older I get, the smaller I want my toolbox to be. I'm more into specialty toolboxes now, with the tools to do that task in each toolbox. For my hand tools, I use a small fishing tacklebox from Walmart that's bright blue, about a foot long, and able to hold exactly what I need. I refuse to put any extra stuff in there, so it's it's always light and easy to carry into a job. I have bigger toolboxes with bigger tools, and extra stuff like bolts and odd sizes screws in it, but I rarely take those boxes into a job.

I'm with Eddie. I did splurge on an S-K ratchet/socket set for sentimental reasons.

I have a half dozen Husky gate mouth soft bags with mechanic, electrical, plumbing...

Works for me.

 

[2manyrocks]

It's absolutely true that the plastic cases leave no room for anything else. The advantage to me is that all the sockets are organized by size and it sort of forces me to put everything back where I found it for the next time.

There was once a time when I was better organized or it could be my imagination.

 

[shooterdon]

Like a few others, I have the old Craftsman stuff I bought 40+ years ago. I also have some newer Husky and Kobalt stuff. It all seems to work OK for my needs.

I do not wrench on stuff every day and do not regret being a bit frugal. For most of us, Snap-On etc is tough to justify and many guys who buy them want "bragging rights".

Whatever you decide to get, buy him a half dozen 10mm sockets.